Day 24: I'm Thankful for Jeremiah

As the prophet Jeremiah of old, this young Jeremiah is a man of faith. He loves God, and doing His work. He loves Jesus Christ and being His emissary. Jeremiah has a heart that loves unconditionally, and finds joy in service to all those around him.

Jeremiah is the fifth in the family - and the only boy. When he was a baby, he was often called "The Boy." He is a mother's perfect description of what any mom would want in her son. That is not to say he is perfect, although he works hard to do what's right in his life.

As a young child, he was really good at taking things apart - like the lawnmower, when he was only 2-1/2! I KNEW, though, that someday he would learn to put things back together! Now, he is working towards his degree as a mechanical engineer.

Yup, they all come "pre-wired" for who they are going to be. It's our job as parents to somehow figure out how to guide these little people in the direction the Lord wants them to go, until they decide to guide themselves there. Also, to pray for them, when they decide to go in another direction, entirely.

Jeremiah is a GOOD SON, and great friend to all who know him. His spirit is ageless, and he is able to translate this into the ability to befriend anyone - from infants to older adults - in personal friends. He truly LOVES everyone.

Jeremiah prepared himself to be able to serve a faithful full-time mission. His love of the Lord is still constantly shown in his life. He is a faithful home teacher, and now spends his Saturday afternoons and evenings as a Temple worker, helping with all the duties he is asked to perform, as he helps the rest of us to attend and do the work for those who were once on the earth, but cannot now do their own ordinance work. His life is an example and a blessing to me, and to many others.

Jeremiah, thanks for all you do for me and others. Thanks for the rides to places. Thanks for the ride home from accounting class for a WHOLE SEMESTER of Monday nights.

Thank you for choosing to be MY son. I respect you, and who you are, and who you are becoming. I love you!

Day of Thanks 18: Thanks for Good Friends!

Today was a good day. I got to go to school, and I got to spend time with friends.

I love school and learning, and one of the things I have loved most, is the new friends I have made in my various classes, and just being in and around the campus. I have made many new and great friends. From study partners in some of my classes, to people I've met in various capacities of the business side of school, and on to quite a few of my teachers.

I have also met and made several great friends where I am living. It's really a great neighborhood. I live in a mobile home park, and my neighbors are very friendly and look out for one another.

As I walk the dog, I meet many other residents doing the same. I have really enjoyed the atmosphere, here. I have had people volunteer to help me move furniture around, some have invited me to dinner, and a couple of people have volunteered to help with any fix-up things I might need. Pretty much, I can do all of that stuff myself, but it's usually more enjoyable when you have a work partner.

Anyway, I think people are what life is all about; and people you care about and who care about you, are what make life worth living . . . so,

YAY for good friends!

Thanks, Day 10 - I'm Thankful for a Place To Live

Today, I'm sick again. Yesterday's 70+ mile-per-hour winds were NOT my friend. All the junk in the air is my enemy. So, today, I'm home in bed. So, today, I'm grateful for a place to call my own. It's pretty difficult to make ends meet sometimes, especially when you're a single older lady and a full-time college student. I'm grateful I've found a place that is within my very limited budget, with a roommate that is a very sweet, special LDS lady. I'm grateful that I have a fairly good working knowledge of the Spanish language, since she speaks very little English. I'm grateful that I am learning so much more about the language, and I'm able to help her as she is learning English.

My roommate's name is Alma. That means "soul" in Spanish. She has a very sweet spirit about her, and her name is very fitting to her personality. She's a very sweet person to live with. Our place is small, but cozy and comfortable. I have my own room, and my own comfy bed. I have a place to work on my sewing, although most crafty-type stuff has to be done outside, since the place is so small. I'm grateful that it is fairly simple to get to school from here, as the bus stop is directly in front of and across from the park entrance. The church building is only a few minutes' walk. If I want to go to downtown Tempe, there is the free Orbit bus, which will probably also be the bus I take to school next year, when I transfer to ASU for my last two years of school.

The past 2 years have been pretty tough, but the Lord is mindful of me, and always provides what I really need, even though sometimes I have to wait until the last minute to know just what that is. At any rate, I have a place to live, and I'm grateful for it.